COVINGTON - Many students making the transition from being a fifth-grade elementary school student to becoming a sixth-grade middle school student may have apprehension going into the new school year. However, the middle schools want to help calm their fears by offering one-day summer camps.

Beginning Tuesday, most of the middle schools in the Newton County School System, as well as the new parent-involvement theme school, will hold a daylong orientation for rising sixth-grade students.

"Middle school and Clements Theme School day camps are designed to familiarize new students with school processes, school employees, and teachers and school specific routines," said Samantha Fuhrey, director of secondary education at NCSS. "Having early exposure to what is expected and what occurs in the new environments helps students become oriented to unfamiliar areas brought about through the transition to middle school and to the new theme school."

During the camps, students may learn about locker routines, cafeteria navigation, switching classes, transportation information and other school guidelines. They also may play games, have the opportunity to meet some of their new teachers and get to know some of the other students they will take classes with during the upcoming school year.

"Students who attend day camp engage in activities that enable them to form meaningful, early relationships with their new teachers and with students from other feeder schools," Fuhrey said.

Most of the camps charge fees to include the cost of a T-shirt and to cover other camp materials.

Veterans Memorial Middle School will hold its camp from 8:30 a.m. to noon Tuesday. It is free.

Clements Theme School will hold its camp, which is for rising fourth- through eighth-graders, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday. Cost is $20 for registration and $25 for the day of camp.

Indian Creek Middle School's camp is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 24. Cost is $15 for registration or $20 on the day of camp. A T-shirt is not guaranteed if a student does not preregister.

Cousins Middle School will hold its camp from 9 a.m. until noon July 28. Cost is $5.

Liberty Middle School will not hold a day camp this summer.

To register for a camp and to get more information about it, parents are urged to contact their children's school.